Nigel Farage has resigned as a Member of Parliament for Clacton-on-Sea, forcing a by-election, amid intense scrutiny over financial support from a convicted fraudster and a £5 million gift from a Reform UK donor. The Reform UK leader cited his daughter being hounded as the 'last straw' in his decision, but vowed to stand in the upcoming by-election.
Financial Scrutiny and Resignation
Farage faces questions over reports that long-time ally George Cottrell provided funding for security and staffing in the year before he was elected. Labour has asked the Electoral Commission to investigate whether the support should have been declared, given Farage's prominence in Reform even before his return to frontline politics. In his resignation statement, Farage said: 'The issue with my daughter was the final straw. Enough is enough.' He added that he could go to the USA where he has 'plenty of offers,' but decided to resign and force a by-election to clear his name.
Controversial Remarks and Incidents
Farage has a long history of controversy. As a child at Dulwich College, an English teacher reportedly wrote to the headteacher in 1981, claiming Farage and others 'marched through a quiet Sussex village very late at night shouting Hitler Youth songs' during a Combined Cadet Force camp. Farage founded UKIP in 1993 and led the Brexit campaign, but later admitted the £350m per week for the NHS pledge on the Brexit bus was a 'mistake.'
Remarks on Immigration and Women
In 2013, Farage said he supported Muslim immigrants who integrate but not those 'coming here to take us over.' In 2014, he said he felt 'uncomfortable' hearing foreign languages on London public transport. He also defended a UKIP candidate who used a racial slur. On women, Farage claimed in 2014 that women who take maternity leave are 'worth far less' to employers, and later defended Donald Trump's 'grab ’em by the p***y' comment, saying 'men say dreadful things sometimes.' He also suggested breastfeeding women should 'sit in the corner.'
Plane Crash and Milkshake Attack
On election day in 2010, Farage's two-seater UKIP campaign plane crashed after a 'Vote UKIP' banner became entangled, causing the aircraft to nosedive. He suffered fractured neck vertebrae and broken ribs. In 2019, a milkshake was thrown at him in Newcastle, and again in 2024 when Victoria Thomas Bowen hurled a milkshake at him in Clacton-on-Sea. Bowen received a 13-week suspended jail sentence and was ordered to pay £150 compensation.
